Short Summary

About a thousand people staged a protest outside the South African embassy in Paris on Monday.

Description

About a thousand people staged a protest outside the South African embassy in Paris on Monday. They were condemning South Africa's apartheid policy, its racial problems and its agreement with France over the sale of nuclear power plant.

SYNOPSIS: The demonstrators marched under the banner which read "Stop the racialist crimes of apartheid". They were particularly referring to last week's riots in Soweto which claimed more than 100 lives. French President Valery Giscard D'Estaing and Syria's President Hafez Al-Assad had earlier deplored apartheid.

The demonstration had been organised by the Movement Against Racism and by the Organisation for Friendship and Solidarity with the African People. It was also supported by major trade unions, the National Union of French students and the breakaway United Socialist party. It lasted about an hour and there were no incidents reported.

The demonstrators also chanted, "Vorster killer, Giscard accomplice". They were referring to a recent agreement signed by France and South Africa. Under it, France will sell nuclear power plants to South Africa. This has also been condemned by a group of British labour politicians.